Twin Terrors
by writer writing
Summary: Xena is pregnant with Ares' twins, a fact that she tries to hide. It grows difficult when they start to demonstrate his powers. Takes place in the season 6 storyline.
1. Chapter 1

"Take it easy, Xena. He's already dead," Gabrielle admonished.

Xena sneered as she put down the knife and pushed the plate of roasted fish away.

Gabrielle put down her own plate and scooted around to Xena's side of the fire. "I can tell something's bothering you. Do you want to share?"

The answer came in the form of cold, steely silence. "Okay, I'll take that as a no." She started to return to her dinner.

"Wait," Xena said. "You're going to find out soon anyway. I'm pregnant again."

Gabrielle's eyes widened. She hadn't been expecting that. "Is this another miraculous conception?"

"No."

"Then you know who the father is this time?"

"Yes, I know," Xena practically growled.

Gabrielle racked her brain for answers. The only man Xena had really been around lately besides the ones she met on the battlefield was "Ares?" Another cold silence confirmed it. Gabrielle's inquisitiveness got the better of her. "How was he? Wait, you don't have to answer that," she quickly amended. "It's really none of my business."

"It wasn't like I expected," Xena said. Gabrielle couldn't tell whether the red glow on her cheeks was a blush or the fire glow, but she was betting on the former. "I always thought it would be lusty, wild, and aggressive."

"And it wasn't?" Gabrielle asked, not really wanting to hear more and yet unable to tame her morbid curiosity.

"I'm not saying it wasn't some of those things at times, but he was gentle and loving too. It's not what you expect from the god of war."

"I'm not that surprised. A god doesn't give up his immortality for you, and it was you he gave it up for, without true love being involved. You do realize that it is the equivalent of a mortal man giving up his life for you?"

Xena let out a sigh of frustration. "I know he loves me in his own twisted way. You know what's crazy? I believe our relationship would have worked if Ares had been mortal. I saw a whole new side to Ares when he lost his godhood."

"Clearly," Gabrielle said, lowering her eyes to Xena's stomach.

"You know what I mean," Xena snapped, not amused by Gabrielle's attempt at levity. "He still had his tough guy exterior to be sure, but I saw the vulnerable man who just needed some genuine love and affection. He was someone who was capable of returning that love and affection to a creature that served him no useful purpose. The dog changed him for the better."

"It wasn't just the dog," Gabrielle told her, placing a hand over Xena's.

"It doesn't matter. Ares is a god again and I don't want him to know about the baby."

"He's going to know. He can't stay away from you long enough for you to hide it."

"I mean he can't know that it's his."

"Whose will it be then?"

"Hercules'. If Ares were to ask him, I know Hercules would be able to cover for me and convince Ares that he is father."

"Smart thinking. If Ares goes after the father in a jealous rage, and knowing Ares he will, you couldn't pick a more capable father. I hate to bring this up, but you never know what to expect from a demigod. Has your pregnancy seemed normal, so far?"

Xena turned and thrust a finger in her face. "This child was created by two mortals! He or she is going to be perfectly normal."

Gabrielle didn't comment, but she wondered which one of them she was trying to convince.


	2. Chapter 2

Xena couldn't sleep. She walked away from the campsite to keep from disturbing Gabrielle. How realistic was it really to think Ares wouldn't be able to figure out that the baby was his and how were she and Hercules going to collaborate on a story when they were miles apart? She had to figure something out though. She couldn't risk Ares' influence corrupting another one of her kids.

She could feel Ares' presence. It was both a blessing and a curse. She could also tell he was standing directly behind her. "I can tell you're there."

"I'm counting on it," he whispered seductively. She shuddered as he started to nibble her ear, but then she came to her senses and jerked away.

He fully materialized. "You came to me once on the farm and I know you liked it. Now try me as a god and see if you don't love it."

She smiled bitterly, "You just don't get it. You never have and you never will."

"Oh, I get it," Ares told her, having already lost patience with her. "You love your little games. You like to give me a little taste and then jerk the rug from under my feet. Do you know how many women would jump at the chance I give you time after time?"

"Good! Go show them your godhood and leave me alone!"

He grabbed her wrists and pushed her against a tree. "You are the most infuriating woman in the history of the world!"

She flipped over him and the match was on. There was a flurry of kicks and hits until they were angrily rolling around on the forest floor. Ares brought it to a stop when he said with a cocky grin, "If you won't make love to me, this is the next best thing, but I've always thought our fights were our own special brand of love-making."

She sat up with a scoff. "You just never give up, do you?" The positions put Ares eye level with Xena's abdomen and he saw the slight bulge that would have been unnoticeable if he hadn't known Xena's body so well. "You're pregnant," he said, sitting up with intense interest.

"As a matter of fact, I am, but before you go getting any ideas, I've had my cycle since we were together. You're not the father. Thank the gods!"

He watched her with a somewhat bemused expression. "Is that so?"

"If you were, I would make sure this child never saw the light of day."

"I don't believe you. You would never kill a child before you were sure that it was evil, especially your own."

She laughed derisively, "But it would be an instrument of evil if not naturally then you would make sure it happened. You forget I saw what you did to my daughter."

"Not with the Eve thing again. If I'm not the father, then who is?"

"That's not really any of your business, is it?"

He traced the lines on her neck with his hands before putting her in a chokehold. "Then I'm making it my business. Who is it?"

"Hercules," she said, knowing full well the effect the name would have on him.

He let go of her, looking angrier than she had seen him in a long time. "Hercules?" He was pure white fury as he started burning the surrounding trees and wildlife with bolt after bolt of lightening. "Hercules!" Then he told her with deadly calm, "You had better be telling me the truth or you'll have my half brother's death on your hands for nothing."

He disappeared without waiting for a response from her. Xena knew Hercules could take care of himself. She just hoped that he could also convince Ares that he was the father of a baby he didn't even know about.


	3. Chapter 3

Hercules and Iolaus sat out on the porch of Iolaus' house, Hercules looking the same age he did 26 years ago and Iolaus looking the old man that he was.

"It's sad, isn't it? Us sitting here peacefully and talking about the old days?" Iolaus commented. "To be honest, I never thought I'd make it to be old enough to talk about the old days."

Hercules laughed, "I don't know. I kind of enjoy it."

"You would. Your age hasn't slowed you down. You can still fight evil. Just once I wish there was a little excitement left in my life. Just to see a warlord or a legendary beast would be a thrill. I'd even settle for a dog with rabies."

As if summoned by Iolaus' wish, Ares materialized in front of the house.

"Be careful what you wish for," Hercules said, standing up. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"You've been messing around with Xena and for that, I'm going to have to kill you."

Hercules came down off the porch. "I don't see how who I mess around with is any of your concern."

Ares gave a war cry and came at Hercules with a sword. Iolaus was able to toss Hercules a sword that he kept hidden in the floorboards of his porch. It was a heated battle, but it was clear that Ares' was too enraged to fight properly as he took a wild shot on more than one occasion. On the other hand, that could sometimes be just as dangerous. Hercules managed to knock the sword away from Ares and give him an uppercut, sending him flying backwards into the small pond on Iolaus's land. "Have you cooled off enough to explain to me what this is all about? I thought you knew Xena and I tended to get close when we were around each other."

"I haven't begun to cool down. Did you or did you not have sex with Xena within the past couple of months?"

Hercules' eyes widened as he said in wonder, "She's pregnant with my child, isn't she? Did you hear that Iolaus, I'm going to be a-"

He was cut off by the cry of renewed rage that came from Ares and the assault began again. This time he sent fireballs. Hercules dropped and rolled and caught a shield that Iolaus had tossed him. The shield caused the ball of flame to deflect and hit Ares squarely in the chest. It must have been a powerful one because it knocked Ares unconscious.

"Sibling rivalry," Iolaus said with a shake of his head, coming over to stand with Hercules. "It never ends, does it?"

"Apparently not," Hercules said, looking at an unconscious Ares. "We'd better get out of here before he comes to. He's not going to be a happy camper."

"Did you really get Xena pregnant?"

"I haven't seen Xena since Eve was born. I guess it's time to go visit an old friend."

"Mind if I come along? I know I'm bound to slow you down but—"

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

sss

"Ares was here I take it," Gabrielle said as she surveyed the damage and yawned.

Xena smiled a small smile of amusement. "I don't know how you manage to sleep through these things."

"I'm a heavy sleeper," Gabrielle shot back defensively. "I also take it you told him he was not the father. Xena, are you sure you're doing the right thing by not telling Ares? I know his track record hasn't been all that great, but he's never had one with a woman he's loved before either."

Xena lifted her arms, "Look around you, Gabrielle. Does a man with this kind of rage and destruction need to know he's a father?"

Gabrielle nodded, "Yeah, you're right. Of course, you're right. I guess I couldn't help but like mortal Ares either, just a little bit anyway." She watched as Xena packed up or more accurately she watched where Xena's unborn child lay. She didn't want to bring it up to Xena yet because she knew how fiercely Xena loved her children and she didn't want to cause any distance between her and Xena, but she wondered if the child would inherit the rage and destruction with or without Ares' help. She wasn't convinced the baby couldn't inherit godlike powers just because Ares was mortal at the time. The child could be another Livia in the making, only 10 times worse if it carried Ares' DNA. It definitely bore watching.


	4. Chapter 4

"Care if we join you?" Hercules called out.

Xena and Gabrielle turned around with smiles. Hercules was walking and Iolaus was on horseback. Xena and Gabrielle were leading their horses. They stopped and waited for them to catch up.

"You are definitely pregnant and far along by the looks of it," Hercules told Xena.

"Not as far along as you think. I'm just a little bigger than usual."

Gabrielle glanced at the warrior princess and looked like she wanted to say something, but she stopped herself.

"You two look the same as ever," Hercules said.

"That's what happens when you're frozen in an ice cave for 25 years," Gabrielle said. "You guys look—" Gabrielle broke off.

"Say it," Iolaus said, "Hercules doesn't look a day over 40 and I look like a wizened old man. I've come to terms with it."

Gabrielle reached up and squeezed his hand. "It's good to see you."

"I should warn you before we start that we're dangerous traveling companions. How many times did we meet Ares on the road?" Hercules asked, turning to Iolaus.

"I don't know. I lost count at 12 or 13. I know Ares is relentless when it comes to trying to destroy you and his obsession with you, Xena, but he's taking relentless to a whole other level."

"I haven't seen hide nor hair of Ares since I broke the news," Xena said, "not that I'm complaining. His pursuit is because I told him you were the father."

"I figured as much. I'm assuming I'm an uncle," Hercules said solemnly.

"You would assume right," Xena answered.

Iolaus didn't voice it, but the look of disgust on his face said it all.

"It's not as bad as it sounds," Xena explained. "He was a mortal at the time and almost bearable, but he's wanted to have a child with me for a long time and I know it's not so we could play house. I had to protect the child and Hercules was the first name that came to mind. I knew his jealousy where you're concerned would keep him distracted."

"That makes sense then," Hercules said. "He was in a mortal state during the time you became pregnant, so for all he knows you might have been with a 100 men. I know you know this, Xena, but Ares is not an idiot. We've been lucky so far, but he will figure this out if we're not careful."

"I've been using my Ares-free time to cover the tracks. If he decides he wants to check up on the story further, we're ready. We met each other about 15 miles north of Amphipolis. It turns out that we weren't that far apart at that time, so there are plenty of honest witnesses that can testify that they saw you and that they saw me in that area. I called in a favor to a tavern owner there and he is willing to say we stayed the night there, together."

"It sounds like you have that part covered," Hercules said. "There's a new danger to think about though. Ares may try to kill your child."

"Ares could have killed my daughter and he didn't," she said in such a defensive tone that it made the others uncomfortable. " He knew she would bring about the destruction of the gods. He even gave up his own immortality to save her life."

"I don't know that you realize how deep his hatred of me goes," Hercules explained. "Any child I had could be a mark, but a child with the woman he envisions as his own would be a double mark."

Xena started to respond, but her eyes widened and she placed a hand over her stomach.

"What's wrong?" asked Gabrielle, Hercules, and Iolaus at the same time.

"I've never felt this before. It's like there's a war going on inside my womb."

When she saw the alarmed expressions on her friends' faces, she said, "It's not like they're about to rip out of my body. They're normal baby kicks, but I think there may be more than one child in here and it feels like they're fighting each other."

Gabrielle looked pale, "Does it—do they feel human?"

Xena shot her a dirty look, "Of course they feel human."

"You remember Hope's son? Ares was his father," Gabrielle reminded her.

"He took after his maternal grandfather, not Ares' side of the family," Xena shot back.

Gabrielle's eyes went to the ground as she tried to hide the pain.

"I'm sorry," Xena quickly apologized. "That was insensitive of me. I know you're all concerned about this pregnancy, but I think we have proof here that having a god for a parent isn't a completely bleak situation."

Hercules managed a smile, "I've seen children born to Ares before and it doesn't ensure a dark future. You won't mind if we stick around at least until after the pregnancy? It wouldn't hurt to have extra support and Ares would never buy me not wanting to be involved in the life of my child."

Xena gave a nod of consent and they traveled in silence for awhile. No one spoke it but everyone was thinking it. The world had never seen children born to Ares and Xena before.


	5. Chapter 5

"I don't know if you three realize this," said a very pregnant and very irritated Xena, "but I am not an invalid. Furthermore, if you continue to treat me like one, I am going to have to show you I'm not in a very physical way."

The three wise friends took her threat seriously and they each took a step back.

"They're already taking after their father with their refusal to show themselves," she continued to grumble. "Did you hear that, guys? Mommy knows you're in there. You can come out now…It looks like they've also inherited my stubbornness."

"I still think you should be lying down in a nice tavern instead of walking out in the middle of nowhere," Gabrielle told her. "They're going to be coming any day now and you're not going to be ready."

"When have my babies ever come at an opportune time?" Xena asked. "They'll be fine and I'll be fine whenever they decide to come."

"Can't argue with that logic," Hercules told Gabrielle teasingly.

Xena suddenly bit her lip, leaned forward, and said in a very pained tone, "I think they've decided on now. My water just broke."

Hercules and Gabrielle went forward and each took an elbow.

"We passed a farm about a mile back," Iolaus said as he looked at the impending rainclouds. He mounted his horse. "I'll ride ahead and see if the farmer there won't let us use his barn."

Hercules nodded, "We'll be along."

It was slow going as Xena's contractions worsened. When the rain started to fall, Hercules picked Xena up, who was in too much pain to protest being picked up, and they practically ran the remaining way.

Iolaus and an elderly couple waited in the doorway of the farmhouse. Iolaus motioned them in.

"These kind people have been more than generous. They've insisted she take their bed."

Xena shook her wet head. "The barn will be fine."

"Nonsense, dear," said the kind elderly woman. "I haven't seen a newborn baby since my own were born. It would be a pure joy and I will not have a baby catching their death of cold in my barn when they could be in my dry, warm house."

Xena started to protest again but Hercules had already carried her into the bedroom and put her down on the bed. Gabrielle and Hercules pulled up wooden stools and sat down on both sides of her.

"Just relax," Gabrielle said. "It would be rude to refuse these nice people. Take deep breaths. That's it. Your babies will be here soon." She caught the deadly glare Xena gave her. "Right. No talking. I remember that."

Hercules offered a hand for her to squeeze and he couldn't help but wince a little. Xena had a strong grip anyway for a woman who didn't have any godly parentage but Xena in labor had a killer grip.

"It won't be long now," Xena said between breaths. Gabrielle moved to the foot of the bed.

Xena was right. It wasn't a minute before Gabrielle saw a head crowning. Iolaus and the farmer were waiting in the main room, but the farmer's wife came into the bedroom with clean blankets to wrap the babies in.

"You have a son," Gabrielle told Xena in delighted tones.

"By the gods," Xena muttered when she realized the baby didn't constitute the usual relief as another was still on its way. Xena's distress suddenly increased and she shouted, "Iolaus, get these people out of here!"

Iolaus rushed into the room, fast for his age, and without waiting for an explanation got the bewildered elderly couple out of the house.

Gabrielle and Hercules needed no explanation either. Gabrielle pulled the baby closer to herself.

"If you touch a hair on either of my babies' head, you'll wish you had died during the twilight of the gods," Xena threatened.

Ares materialized. "I was wondering if you'd notice me given your present condition. I'm not here for your children. I'm here for their father."

Even in the throes of labor, she managed to shift herself so that she was partly shielding Hercules from attack.

"Don't think because you're covering him that I won't go through you to get to him," Ares warned. "I've finally come to the realization that we don't have a chance in tartarus."

Hercules gently put Xena back in her former position. "I was wondering when you were going to show up. Let me just reiterate what Xena said. If you cause any harm to come to either one of my children or the mother of my children, there's going to be one less god in the world."

"I'm shaking," Ares said, sarcasm dripping from his voice as a fireball formed in his hand.

"Ares!" shouted Xena. "So help me, you are not going to play with fire around my children!"

Hercules and Gabrielle were shocked when Ares complied and the flame went out. The rage on his face was still there though. "You're fortunate that there are babies in the room," he told Hercules, "but you can bet your life that this isn't over for any of you. I hope you two weren't planning on being a sweet little, traveling family because I'm going to ensure that never happens one way or another," he said before he vanished.

"Did his voice crack in that last part of his threat?" Hercules asked Gabrielle in bafflement.

"I think so," Gabrielle answered in equal bafflement.

"I hate to break up this stimulating conversation but-" she punctuated the last part of the sentence with a scream.

Gabrielle handed the first twin to Hercules and got ready for the next one. "A daughter," she said as wrapped up the second one.

Xena smiled, too tired to say anything at the moment.

Hercules and Gabrielle brought the babies up to the top of the bed for Xena to see and hold.

"Have you thought of names?" Hercules asked.

"My daughter's name is Cyrene after my mother and my son's name is Joxer."

Gabrielle smiled and her eyes shone with both happiness and sorrow at the names of their departed loved ones. "That's perfect. If they become even half the people their namesakes were, they will be great people."

Xena kissed the foreheads of both the babies. "They will be."


	6. Chapter 6

Xena held her daughter and was the first out the door, followed closely by Gabrielle, who was holding the other baby. Hercules and Iolaus were last.

"Thanks again," Hercules said. "We appreciate the trouble you went to and I'm sorry that Ares showed up. I'm glad he didn't hurt anybody or break anything. Here take a dinar for your trouble."

The elderly farmer shook his head. "We won't accept it. You can't control the gods. We offered our home and hospitality. We won't take anything for it."

"That's more than kind," Hercules told them.

"Anything for the great Hercules," his wife answered, a bit doe-eyed.

"Anything for the great Hercules," mimicked Iolaus when they were out of hearing distance. "How is it you're still getting all the ladies even the older ones?"

Hercules shrugged but he had a grin plastered on his face.

Joxer had already established himself as the loud one. When he was ready to be fed or changed, he had no trouble getting his lungs to work. His fists would tighten, he would turn red, and throw a royal fit. Cyrene was the quiet one. It was almost unnatural how calm she was. Xena had to periodically check to see if she needed to be changed or fed. Thus far, much to the relief of mother and company, there had been no demonstration of godlike powers and they went down the road with light hearts.

They all heard another pair of feet materialize behind them and they whipped around in defensive positions.

"Aphrodite," Xena said. "This is a surprise. What are you doing here?"

"Well, I had to come see my new niece and nephew, duh," she said, walking up to the babies and bending down to goochy goo them.

There was an awkward silence before they all realized she was talking about through Hercules, not Ares.

She stroked Joker's dark tuft of hair and Cyrene's curly light brown hair. "What cutie pies. It almost makes me wish there were still rugrats on Olympus. Even baby Bliss is all grown up now."

Gabrielle started to open her mouth to say something to Aphrodite.

"Chill, Gabby. I'm not going to kidnap anymore mortal princesses and I said almost. What did you name the little munchkins?" she asked, still cooing at the babies.

"This is Cyrene and this is Joxer," Gabrielle said, pointing them out and smiling like a proud aunt.

"Oh, how adorable," Aphrodite squealed. "I always did like Joxer."

"Even though you brainwashed and caused trouble for him on more than one occasion," Xena said dryly.

She flipped her hand nonchalantly, "It's a sign of my affection. And like speaking of affection, I got some rad toys for the little tykes." Some very feminine and very musical rattles appeared in her hand and she gave them to the babies. "These are from your Auntie Aphrodite."

She went over to Hercules. "Congratulations, Bro. I know you'll be an awesome dad."

"Thanks," he said affectionately.

"And just a word of advice from a not so ditzy blonde, I'd be careful if I were you guys. It's totally curious that two blue-eyed people had brown-eyed twins."

"Aphrodite," Hercules began. "I don't know what Ares told you but—"

She rolled her eyes. "I'm not saying it's not possible and that I think you're not the daddy, but I don't think my Olympian bro has taken a good look at these babies. He's in too much of a huff right now. You should see him mope around Olympus. The god of war with love problems, it would be funny if it wasn't so sad. Toodles," she said, disappearing in a shower of sparkles.


	7. Chapter 7

"Joxer the Mighty  
Roams through the countryside  
He never needs a place to hide  
With Gabby as his sidekick  
Fighting with her little stick  
Righting wrongs and singing songs  
Being mighty all day long  
He's Joxer—he's Joxer the Mighty!" Gabrielle sang to baby Joxer.

"Is that really a suitable lullaby for my son?" Xena tried to say seriously, but she couldn't quite keep from smiling.

"You can say a lot of things about Joxer's fighting skills, but you have to admit his songs were catchy," Gabrielle answered, smiling. She laid him down next to the sleeping Cyrene. "And it put him to sleep."

Xena shook her head and said with motherly amusement, "The way that kid fights sleep."

Gabrielle watched the sleeping babies with a new sudden interest. "Joxer looks a lot like Ares, doesn't he? Except for the nose. He definitely has your nose."

"I've never really noticed. I wonder what's taking Hercules and Iolaus so long to get the supplies?"

The abrupt change of subject proved to Gabrielle that she had. "Cyrene, however, reminds me more of Solan except for the hair and eyes, of course. I think her hair will darken into Eve and your mother's hair color."

"Joxer is Joxer and Cyrene is Cyrene. They will look like themselves. As long as they're asleep, I'm going to go get some fishing in."

"Fine, I get it. Speculating which family members they look like is not your cup of tea."

"I just think it's purposeless, but now you can have all the time you want to speculate. Although if you want to make yourself useful, Cyrene and Joxer still need some stitching done to their hats."

Gabrielle sighed as Xena departed the camp, but she went over to the saddlebags to fetch the unfinished hats. The hats were attractive. Xena's stitching was impeccable whether it was stitching up a wound or a garment.

"What are we going to do with your mother?" Gabrielle asked the twins as she threaded the needle.

The sleeping Joxer stirred in response to Gabrielle's voice and the blanket that he held in his tiny hands ripped ever so slightly.

Gabrielle tried to swallow back her nervousness. "Let's just hope the blanket was wearing thin," she said softly and she hurried to sew the blanket up with the needle and thread.

sss

Ares hadn't visited the fates in awhile, but now he wanted answers about these new kids of Xena's. He wanted to know if they were going to be the threat that Eve had been. Children belonging to Hercules and Xena couldn't bode well to what was left of the Olympian gods, but what he really wanted to know the most was where he fit into all this. He wanted to know if he was still going to be a part of Xena's life and affections or if Hercules had crowded him out if it like he had done with their father.

"Long time, no see. Is that a new loom?" he queried, trying a bit of small talk before plunging into the real matter. "I have a question about these new kids of Xena's. Do their life threads spell any doom and gloom for me?"

"You will no longer be the god of war because of these children.

Olympus will never be your home again.

You will see death."

Ares hated the way they spoke in turns like three people sharing one brain. It made him angry but then a lot of things made him angry and this new prophecy was one of them. "Are you saying I'm going to have to kill Xena's brats?"

"We do not advise.

We only tell what will be.

Or show what could be."

"What about Hercules? Is he going to become Xena's new shadow or what?"

"He will see Xena.

More frequently than he has in the past.

Hercules will feel a duty towards Xena's children as long as the children live."

"I guess I know what I have to do then," Ares said darkly but without his usual passion.


	8. Chapter 8

Hercules and Iolaus arrived back at the campsite with the supplies. Xena was already back, gutting the fish.

"We were told that a neighboring village has been experiencing some problems with a warlord. Iolaus and I thought we'd ride over there and set him straight."

"I'll come along too," Xena said, standing up. "I'm in need of a little diversion and this sounds like just the thing."

"I thought you'd want to stay with the children," Hercules said. "It really won't take too long."

"I'm fully recovered from the delivery and the children can come along. Besides, who knows the mind of a warlord better than I do? You may need me." Xena said, taking out her sword and testing it in her hand.

"I know better than to argue with a woman who has a sword in her hand," Hercules laughed. "We can all go then."

Gabrielle said, "You might as well learn now babies don't slow Xena down. This is fairly calm compared to some of the situations we faced with Eve, at least the babies won't be a target."

Iolaus chuckled while they started preparing to go. "Only in this family would taking out a warlord be a family affair."

sss

A day's ride brought them into the village of Aigio. It was the typical situation. The warlord had demanded more than the village could afford to give and now his army was going to ransack it.

Hercules and Xena selected the villagers that looked strong enough to help defend the village and armed them with farm tools that made good weapons. Iolaus and Gabrielle lead all the rest of the villagers to the dusty temple in the center of the village that had once been a shrine to the now dead Hephaestus.

There was only one good road leading into the village because it was nestled against a mountain.

"I thought you and Iolaus were going to be in Hephaestus's temple with the others?" Xena questioned when she saw that Iolaus and Gabrielle were sitting outside on the temple steps.

"We decided that we'll guard the twins from the temple steps. That way if you needed my help, I could join you or if the villagers needed to scatter, we could run in to warn them. It's a better overall position," Gabrielle told her.

"Suit yourself," she said with a shrug, "because they'll never make it this far into the village. I can assure you."

Xena climbed up on one of the roofs to wait for sight of the advancing troop. Hercules stood in front of the villagers, showing them techniques that would help prevent them from getting killed.

"Oh, the joys of being old and a sidekick," Iolaus told Gabrielle. "Do yourself a favor, Gabrielle. Don't get old."

Gabrielle smiled, "I'll give it my best shot. Is it really so bad though? It looks like you still get to help out."

"Oh, sure. The things I do are useful, but once you've been in the heat of battle time after time, sitting on the sidelines doesn't really appeal, does it?

"No, but it helps to keep the peace and they've entrusted us with a very important duty."

Xena jumped down from the roof. "They're coming and they're a very small troop. It's going to be like taking candy from a baby."

Xena's prediction wasn't far off. There was some intense battling, but they had faced worse armies and while there were wounds, no one had been killed yet.

Gabrielle became concerned when she saw that Joxer seemed to watch the battle with interest. She supposed it was normal for a baby to become curious at the sounds, what with all the metal ringing and the war cries, but she wondered if perhaps they shouldn't have been inside the temple after all.

Gabrielle had been so intent on Joxer that she hadn't noticed that the warlord had Xena on the ground with a sword pointing over her. Xena was about to roll sideways out of harms way when a small fireball hit the man's hand instead. He dropped his sword and cried out in pain.

Xena jumped up, looking around wildly for the source of the fireball, expecting and hoping to see Ares in the vicinity, but the direction it came from was the temple steps. The shocked looked on Gabrielle's face left no doubt of the source.

Xena finished taking out the warlord and the army retreated with no leader to hold them together. Hercules followed Xena to the temple steps.

"He's a half-god," Xena said over the happy cries of the villagers. "I guess it's time I finally admitted it to myself. You were right, Gabrielle. The question is what are we going to do about it."

"I was wrong about some things," Gabrielle said. "He just threw a little one. What harm can a little one do?"

"A lot of harm if it should catch something on fire. I know they don't seem to be deadly yet but what happens when they are?"

"He's just a baby," Gabrielle said. "This isn't like with Hope. He's not the spawn of evil. He just doesn't know what he's doing. It's sort of like that time Cupid's son shot all those love arrows. Trust me. It was like a baby discovering that he had feet for the first time. He was as surprised about the fireball as anybody."

"That's what makes it so dangerous. He can't control it and you can't tell him how to control it."

Gabrielle nestled Joxer closer to her. "What are you suggesting?"

"I'm suggesting that maybe only a god could handle raising this child." Xena's eyes shone, but her expression was firm. "You don't know how much this pains me to say it but maybe we need to think about giving him to Ares to raise."

"No!" Gabrielle cried. "He might want to take Cyrene too and who knows what Ares would raise him to be!"

"Well, maybe we could give him to Aphrodite then. She did a pretty good job with Cupid."

Gabrielle shook her head vehemently, "I refuse to let you give up on your son. You'd regret it. I know you would."

"A man who's dealt with Ares as many times as I have," Hercules spoke up, "should be able to handle this little fellow. After all, this is what I'm here for, isn't it?"

Xena nodded in consent and seemed relieved that she didn't have to make the choice to give up another son, at least not yet. "There are no signs that Cyrene doesn't favor her mortal side which is a relief," Xena said. "This task would be impossible if we had to handle two babies with emerging powers."

As if purely to contradict her mother, one of Aphrodite's rattles flew out of the saddlebag and into Cyrene's waiting hand.


	9. Chapter 9

"Yay!" Gabrielle said, clapping her hands in delight and scooping Cyrene up. "You can turn over now!"

"You gotta love those mortal milestones," Xena said as she nursed her son. "Watch it, Joxer. You've got teeth now."

"You have to admit," Gabrielle said, "this is turning out better than you thought it would. Cyrene's gift is perfectly harmless and Hercules has taken care of every fireball Joxer has managed to produce."

Xena adjusted her strap and gave a noncommittal grunt.

"You don't think it's going to last, do you?"

Xena pulled a bruised pointer finger out from Joxer's well-intentioned but herculean grasp. "No, I don't. And I don't feel like arguing about it." Knowing that it most likely wasn't going to stop Gabrielle from trying to prove her point, she continued, "And I'm going to take a walk. Do you think you can handle them while I'm gone?"

"Of course and Hercules may be taking a bath right now, but he is within hearing distance if I should need him."

"They'll probably be ready for a nap now that they've had their fill."

"Would you go? They're fine."

Xena went into the woods even though she still seemed a little hesitant.

"Can you believe your mother?" she asked the twins. "Like I can't handle children that aren't even half a year old yet." She stole a glance at the babies. Joxer had nodded off, but Cyrene was nowhere to be seen. She felt the spot where Cyrene had been only moments before. She even lifted the blanket up. There was nothing, no clues and no baby. Gabrielle started to panic and combed the camp area for signs of her.

"On second thought," Xena said as she came back into the clearing. "I'll wait for Hercules and Iolaus to come back. It's bad enough to leave you with twins, but twins who are also demigods that would be-where is Cyrene?" Xena cried in alarm.

"She was right here. I swear it. I know she moves a little bit now, but it's not like she was ready for the Olympics! What if Ares got her?" Gabrielle said, jumping to conclusions. "What if anybody got her? What are we going to do?"

"Shh," Xena said. She listened carefully for a few seconds and then she made a grab a foot away from the blanket that Cyrene and Joxer had been sharing. Cyrene became visible in Xena's hands. "Got you, you little minx. Your mother is a tough old bird to fool."

Cyrene giggled in response like it was a good game of peek-a-boo, which it was in Cyrene's mind.

"We can't go on like this," Xena decided. "I'm fooling myself to think I could handle them on my own, that any of us could."

"But you're Xena, Warrior Princess," Gabrielle said, trying to boost her spirits. "You can handle anything."

"This isn't a battle or a villain that I can just stop and be done with. I haven't had a lot of experience raising kids anyway, but to raise the twins of Ares, who've inherited a majority of his powers? And let's face it, when Ares gets a load of their powers, he's going to know who the real father is. It's time we call in Ares before something serious happens to the twins or someone else."

"Don't do it, Xena," Gabrielle pleaded. "I know I said Ares might be different now, but he's proven he can't change. He's tried to kill Hercules I don't know how many times and he didn't care that the babies were being put at risk when he came to kill Hercules during your labor."

"It will be different when he finds out he's the father. He won't put their lives at risk anymore."

"Just their capacity to be good," Gabrielle argued.

"It's a chance that will have to be taken, but as long as there is breath in my body, I will do everything in my power to make sure that doesn't happen. Ares!" Xena called out.


	10. Chapter 10

Seconds later, Ares appeared. "I've been meaning to pay you a visit," he remarked. "So where's the little family man?"

"I didn't call you here to talk about Hercules," Xena said.

"And I didn't come here to answer to your beck and call. Those days are over, sweetheart. I have my own reasons for being here." To prove his point, he drew his sword and went over to Gabrielle, who held the twins in her arms. "My quarrel isn't with you, blondie. Put the kids down and step away."

"Over my dead body," Gabrielle said.

He put his sword back. "That can be arranged," he said as he blasted her back and caught the twins before they hit the ground. Gabrielle had been knocked unconscious when she smacked into a tree, but she was still alive.

"I try to play nice and this is what I get for it," Xena said. "I won't make that mistake again."

He laughed, "Like you called me here to reconcile. What kind of fool do you take me for?"

"Ares, god of war, killing innocent little babes. The world will be amazed at your military prowl," Xena mocked.

"Shut up! You have no idea what these little babes are going to do when they get older."

"Heard another prophecy you didn't like? Well, I've got one for you. Hurt so much as a hair on their heads and their mother will kill you."

He put the babies down. He tried to make it look rough but Xena noticed he was careful not to hurt them.

"I guess I'd better take care of their mother first then," he said, pulling out his sword again.

Xena drew her sword. "Bring it on."

A shirtless and wet Hercules ran into the clearing, grabbing his sword. Ares blocked two swords aimed for his chest. Xena then took a swipe at his feet while Hercules brought his sword toward his head. Ares simultaneously jumped and blocked Hercules' thrust. Then he jumped into the tree above them. "You two wouldn't be a match for me even if I was mortal."

He sent down a few fireballs for them to dodge, but none came close to the babies. Xena let out her war cry as she flipped up to the limb that Ares stood on. She pointed her sword and went running toward him. Ares had nowhere to go but down. He flipped off but landed on Hercules' sword. Xena flipped off in front of them and held her sword at Ares' throat.

"I'll admit you two make a good albeit sickening team," Ares conceded. "It's just too bad you have no true way of disposing of me."

"I may have lost my ability to kill gods, but there are many ways to skin a cat as you well know," Xena replied.

"True, but at the moment none of those ways are at your disposal. I'll bow out this time. I'm nothing if not a good sportsman, but this is far from over, Xena," Ares threatened before disappearing.

Gabrielle had come to and witnessed the last part of the exchange. "Do you believe me now?"

"No," replied a calm Xena, staring at the spot where Ares had been moments before. "He had a perfect opportunity to kill them when he took them from you and he didn't take it. He also had time and opportunity to get them from his vantage point in the tree."

"I noticed that too. You think he knows they're his?" Hercules asked, trying to make sense of an Ares, who wasn't totally out for blood.

"No, I don't," Xena answered. "I think he still believes they're yours, but I plan on telling him they're his after I give him time to simmer down. We need his help."

"I don't know if I fully support this," Hercules said, "but it's your decision to make. I will stand behind you and the children no matter what."

Xena gave him an appreciative smile and put a hand on his arm, "You're a good friend, Hercules."


	11. Chapter 11

"So the rumors are true then?" Eve said by way of announcing herself. "I'm a big sister."

Xena stood up and hugged her daughter, "I'm so glad to see you. I've been wondering when you were going to show your face around here."

Gabrielle hugged Eve next. "Nice to see you, kiddo. How did things in Chin go?"

"They weren't completely non-receptive to the idea of peace. We picked up some new followers, but it wasn't spreading as quickly as I hoped. I felt called back home."

Hercules introduced himself. "You don't remember me, but I'm Hercules. I was there for your birth. I gave you your first toy, a Hydra. I can see you've grown into a beautiful, young woman."

Eve thought about it. "Actually I do remember a Hydra toy. It must have traveled to Rome with me because I remember the son of the family I was tutored with beheaded one of its heads. He told me 2 heads would grow back in its place, but it didn't grow back, so he walked away with a black eye."

Iolaus laughed appreciatively at the story and offered his hand. "I'm Iolaus, a friend of Hercules and your mother. Your Hydra was named after me."

"It's a pleasure to meet you guys," she said. She made her way over to the twins, who both had just learned to sit up. She sat down beside them. "Aren't you two the cutest babies ever? Hi, I'm your big sister, Eve."

Joxer just looked at her with a fist stuffed in his mouth and Cyrene took the hem of her garment and pulled it up over her head.

Xena went over and sat down with her children. "This is Joxer and this is Cyrene."

"Who's their father?" Eve asked, tickling them and eliciting laughter from both the babies.

There was a momentary pause before Xena answered. "Ares."

Eve's eyes widened and then a look of revulsion appeared on her face. "Ares is not my…" Eve could not even bring herself to finish the sentence.

"No," Xena quickly answered, "there's not even the slightest possibility."

Eve breathed a huge sigh of relief. "Praise Eli. For a minute there, I thought I was going to have gouge my eyes out like Oedipus."

"You know I met a man once who knew Oedipus," Gabrielle interjected. The glares she got from both women told Gabrielle that they weren't in the mood to hear a story. "I can tell you two need to have a mother-daughter conversation. I think I'll go wash the twins' extra clothes."

"I can help with that," Iolaus offered.

"I need to polish my sword," Hercules added.

"They make real subtle exits, don't they?" Xena said, staring fondly after the 3 retreating friends.

"Mother, Ares? Are you insane?"

"I know you two have a history," Xena began.

"It's not about that," Eve interrupted. "Ares and I are ancient history. It's about you and these kids. Ares is not the kind of guy you have kids with. He's hotheaded, he's self-centered, he's manipulative and why are you smiling!"

"Honey, I knew Ares long before you did. I don't think there's another mortal on this planet who knows him better. I've been the object of his obsession and the target of his manipulations more times than I can count."

"Then you of all people should know better," Eve said in utter frustration. "Why did you allow yourself to get pregnant with his children?"

"Because I know him better than any mortal on this planet. There's a side to him that he doesn't show to anyone else. Sometimes I think he doesn't even mean to show it to me."

"Well, enlighten me, Mother. I have to know. What good traits could he possibly have?"

"He doesn't give up, he's intelligent, and whether you want to believe it or not, he has the capacity to love. And when he bestows that love, it's a passionate, loyal, fierce love."

"You've actually heard him say he loves another person, himself excluded?"

"Yes, and it was a long time before he could say the words, which showed the genuineness of them. What matters though is that his actions show when he loves a person. You saw how he showed his love for Aphrodite."

Eve conceded to the last part of that statement. "And he's shown his love for you on many occasions."

"He has."

"Does he know he's the father?"

"No, but I plan on telling him in the near future. The twins are proving their demigod status and I'll need his help with that."

"Do you love him?" she asked.

Xena didn't answer, but the look in her eyes said it all. "It doesn't matter. We're not going to live happily ever after. We're not really the type for that."

"I hope it works out between you two anyway. You deserve some happiness and if your happiness is found with Ares then so be it."

"How long do you plan on traveling with us?" Xena asked.

"Just until we get to Athens. There's a group of Elijans there who need some encouragement."

Xena smiled and playfully ruffled Eve's hair, "You're definitely cut out to give encouragement."


	12. Chapter 12

"Okay, you little monsters. That was not funny," Eve told the twins as she stamped out the remaining sparks in her shawl. Joxer rode on Xena's back and Cyrene rode on Gabrielle's back in baby carriers. Hercules, Iolaus, and Eve brought up the rear. "Did you see that, Mother? Cyrene lifted my shawl right off me and Joxer set the corner of it on fire."

"I warned you they were getting powers," Xena said, not even slowing her pace.

"I'm traveling right beside two of Greece's greatest heroes. Why didn't either of you save my shawl?" Eve wanted to know.

"You seemed to have it under control," Iolaus said.

Eve let out a cry of frustration as she wrapped her now slightly burned shawl back around her.

"Welcome to the wonderful world of siblings with powers," Hercules said, continuing the teasing. "Your life will never be the same again."

Gabrielle laughed and put an arm around the now semi-freaked out Eve, "He's joking. He has a very good relationship with Aphrodite."

"It isn't all bad having a family member with special abilities," Hercules reassured her, becoming serious. "Believe it or not, you'll come to appreciate your siblings."

Ares materialized in time to catch Hercules' last sentence. "Oh, I'm touched," he said with mock sentiment.

"Well, most of them anyway," Hercules amended.

"Eve, how is the peaceful life treating you? Having any fun yet or are you wishing for the old days?"

"Go to tartarus, Ares," she spit back.

Ares clicked his tongue, "Eli would not have approved of that language, young lady."

"What are you here for?" Gabrielle shouted angrily. "Surely it wasn't to come and goad Eve."

"You're right about that. I'm here for the two precious bundles."

Eve took the twins. Everyone else drew a weapon. Ares snapped his fingers, freezing everyone in time except for Xena.

"I'm not here to fight this time," he said, putting his hand on her sword and lowering it. "I'm here to bargain."

Xena smiled a cynical smile. "A bargain? Let me guess. I can hand over the twins and you'll spare Eve. No? I can hand over the twins and you'll let Gabrielle live? Am I getting warmer?"

"I'm going to put my cards on the table. It's been foretold that I, personally, am going to see death thanks to these little brats of yours. Do you see the dilemma I have?"

"I see the dilemma. Once again the only person that matters is you and your precious immortality."

Ares grabbed her roughly by the shoulders. "No, don't you try and pull that crap on me. You know full well that I gave it up for you with no guarantee that I was going to get it back. You want to know why I hate your kids! It has nothing to do with the prophecy, it's knowing that our time together meant nothing to you and you went running to Hercules before the bed was even cold. Do I revile you that much that you can't stand the thought of us having children together, but little goody-goody-two-shoes over there can father all the mongrels he wants?"

Xena head butted Ares to release his tight grasp on her. "You want to know why the thought of us having kids together revolted me so much? Because of this. You have anger issues."

"I have anger issues? I suppose you're Miss Sally Sunshine."

"No, I'm not. That's exactly why we'd make a lethal combination as parents. You and I are too much alike in that regard."

"Maybe, but if those children had been mine, I would have tried harder than anything I've ever tried at in my life to be a good father to them." With those words, Ares brought everything back to real time.

He started to storm off but Joxer threw a fireball, his biggest one yet, that hit his father right in the in the rear. Ares whipped around and was in time to see Cyrene bringing a blanket to herself.

Ares' eyes glittered with realization, "These are my children."


	13. Chapter 13

"Yes, they are," Xena answered honestly.

A number of looks passed on Ares' face: surprise, joy, hurt, and finally anger. He looked at Hercules, "Does it cut you deeply to know you're not the father to these children?" When Hercules didn't even bat an eyelash, Ares realized the truth. "You knew all along that you weren't the father. You weren't even a possible candidate, were you?"

He looked back at Xena, "And you. I never thought you would lie to me about something as important as this."

"Can you blame me, Ares?" Xena asked. "You have always used your sons and daughters when it suited your purposes. You've never viewed your children as children. In fact, I still don't know that you won't use them as pawns in your schemes, but I'm willing to give you that chance now to prove me wrong for their sakes."

"Oh, that's so big of you," Ares sneered. "I suppose you want me to grovel at your feet for letting me be a part of my own children's lives. Well, you can forget it and you can also bet I plan on being a part of their lives from hereon out. You're all just lucky that I don't blow you off the face of the earth for keeping this from me, but as a new father I'm feeling somewhat generous."

Ares went over and took them from Eve. No one tried to stop him. He looked down at them tenderly with awe in his eyes. "Hello, guys. I'm your father."

Despite Ares' obvious anger at having been lied to about the twins' parentage, Xena felt that she had made the right decision in telling Ares. It was clear that he loved them and that he was really was going to do his best by them.

"I'm taking them back to Olympus with me," Ares announced. "Let's see how you like being left out of crucial moments in their lives, Xena." He disappeared with the twins before anyone had time to comment or respond.

"We'll go after him, Xena," Hercules said forcefully. "Ares is even crazier than I think if he believes we'll let him get away with this."

"No, I'll go after him," she responded. "Seeing you won't make him any more reasonable."

"You plan on reasoning with him?" Hercules asked, clearly not believing it was possible for Ares to be reasonable.

"We can't spend the rest of our lives snatching the children back and forth from each other. We have to settle this if for no other reason then so Joxer and Cyrene can have a normal life."

"A normal life with Ares as their father? You do realize the likelihood of that, Mother?" Eve asked with a smile.

"I do," she said with an answering smile. "Take care of yourself in Athens."

"You know I will," she said. "Let me know when everything works out."

"Why don't Hercules and I come with you, Eve?" Iolaus suggested. "I've always wanted to see what all this Elijan stuff was about and we could all hear together the outcome of Xena's mission."

"Sounds like a plan to me," Hercules said. "I've been curious about the Elijan philosophy myself."

"I'm sure the other Elijans would be happy to have you sit in on one of our mediations and I know I would be happy to have you along," Eve said.

"So when do we leave?" Gabrielle asked Xena. "Now?"

"You should go with the others, Gabrielle," Xena said.

Gabrielle was visibly upset. "This isn't that dangerous an undertaking and the twins mean as much to me as they do to you."

"I know it's not and I know you love the twins too, but this is between me and Ares. I need to handle this alone."

Gabrielle inhaled sharply, but she nodded. "I understand. Just be careful."


	14. Chapter 14

Ares looked around the dusty Olympian room. Hestia hadn't been in her usual neat freak mood since the twilight of the gods. The place wasn't exactly fit for babies. He fixed the problem with a wave of his hand. He also added some baby things with his own personal touch like cradles with skulls on the headboards and three-headed dog toys. To the twins themselves, he gave them black silk baby clothes that were made complete with black leather booties.

"So Cyrene and Joxer," Ares said, mulling over their names. "Xena's mother was an okay lady and it's a fine name for a daughter of Ares, but no son of mine is going to be named Joxer after that dweeb sidekick wannabe. I'm going to call you Xerxes. There's a fine, strong name, fit for the son of a god and it's close enough to the original."

He sat the twins down on the rug and got on the floor with them. Joxer reached over and pulled one of Cyrene's light brown curls. She retaliated by kicking her legs.

Ares grinned and pulled them apart by the seat of their pants. "You're daddy's little devils for sure, but save that stuff for when you're older and I can show you how a real fight goes."

Ares saw Cyrene flicker around the edges and became excited, knowing it meant that Cyrene had the ability to teleport.

"Come on," he crooned to Cyrene as he scooted back and stuck out his arms. "I know you can do it. It's easier than walking, or crawling for that matter. You'll only be able to move a foot at a time for now, but it beats the heck out of having to walk everywhere. Come to, Daddy."

She shut her eyes and squeezed them tight. She teleported herself to Ares.

"That's my, girl!" he shouted, throwing her up in the air and catching her, making her squeal with delight. Joxer wanted in on the action as he kicked his feet, making the room shake ever so slightly, and he threw his arms up in the air. Ares gave Joxer his turn.

Ares stared at the twins wistfully as he sat them back down on the rug. He could see Xena in them. Cyrene had that calm, calculating look about her that was utterly enchanting because it was so like her mother's and the angry look Joxer got just before he had the minor tantrum reminded him of Xena's look of rage.

"I hate your mother," he said out loud. He didn't really mean it. He wished he did, but what he really felt was hurt. Hurt from the perceived betrayal and even more hurt at the fact that they weren't together. He would give his godhood, his temples, his worshipers, and even his name in history if he and Xena could be a family with the twins. He would never admit it to her, but she was even more in his head than she had ever been after their night of unbridled passion on the farm. He flirted with other women and he looked, but since that night, he hadn't been with another woman even though he knew that she would probably never give him the time of day again. Imagining the other women were Xena just didn't cut it anymore. "I curse the day I ever saw her," he said out loud again.

He smiled when he saw them. "No, I don't. I bless the day you two were created."

He bent down and tickled them with his beard. Joxer grabbed his dad firmly by the beard and Cyrene had him by his earring. "Okay, guys," Ares said with a laugh. "You can let go now."

"This is something I never thought I would see in a million years," said Xena, standing in the doorway. "Ares, god of war, down on his hands and knees playing with infants. It looks like a game of Let's Beat Up Daddy. Mind if I join?"


	15. Chapter 15

"How'd you get here so fast?" he asked.

"Aphrodite," Xena answered. "She has a soft spot for love stories even ones as perverse as ours."

"Well, you can just hightail it out of here because there no way in tartarus that you're going to take them from me again."

"Who said I was going to take them from you? I need your help raising these children. I can't help them control their powers, only you can. I tried to tell you before but you were too angry to hear it. Although, I must admit it is taking great restraint on my part to keep from tearing you limb from limb after that stunt you pulled back there."

"Well, now you know how I felt to find out you'd been keeping them from me."

"I explained that already," Xena said.

"Yeah, yeah. You thought I'd use them for my evil schemes. I thought you were all about the second chances."

"I am."

"So, what? Gods don't get second chances? I hate to tell you this, babe, but we're just as human as you mortals. We can make mistakes and change for the better too."

"I'm not saying you can't, but it doesn't mean the trust is there. That has to be earned. You know what I don't get is if you didn't want a child with me to use in your plans for domination, what did you want one for?"

He stood up and got right in her face. "What did I want one for? Are you that stupid?" She raised a fist up to hit him for that comment, but he caught it and held her by the wrist. "I love you. How many times do I have to say it? How many times do I have to prove it? I love you."

"I love you too. What does it mean though? Do we really have what it takes to see this relationship through? We're at each other's throats every time we meet."

"I realize we've given no reasons to trust each other in the past, but I'm willing to do anything it takes to gain your trust now and have you give us a chance. I would become mortal for you if it meant we could be together."

She shook her head. "I don't want you to become a mortal."

"You don't? Does that mean you want to become an immortal?" he asked.

"It doesn't mean that either. I want us to be exactly the way we are. I fell in love with a god and you fell in love with a mortal. Why don't we give being ourselves a try?"

He brushed her cheek with the back of his hand. "It sounds good to me."

"You could give up your war job and Olympian home for now and travel with me and the kids. People can start wars without your interference for awhile."

Ares couldn't help but grin. "So you're actually going to give us a chance?"

"Don't get too excited. I'm not saying I want to get married in front of the Fates or anything. I'm just saying let's see how it goes."

"Speaking of Fates," he grumbled, "I'd like to wring their necks. They're always spilling a cryptic line that you can take anyway you want."

"Maybe there's a reason for that. Maybe we make our own fates."

"Maybe. I can foresee just one problem with this idea of traveling together though. I don't know if you've noticed this or not, but your little blonde sidekick and I don't exactly see eye to eye. I don't think she's going to like Daddy Ares being in the picture."

"She'll hate it, but she'll get over it," Xena said dismissively. She looked over Ares' shoulder. "The twins fell asleep."

Ares looked back. They were curled peacefully up on the rug. "So they are," he said. He moved them into their cradles without leaving his spot beside Xena. "I think before I leave Olympus for good, I should give you a tour. I don't think you got to see everything the last time you were here."

"No, I believe I was a little preoccupied with kicking Olympian butt. Yours included." She touched the spot where she shot him. "It was right about here that I shot you, wasn't it?"

"I have a more hospitable welcome in mind this time," he said, leading her to his bed.


	16. Epilogue

Gabrielle had traveled with them for about a year. She had decided she wanted to settle down and have a family of her own, so she had married Virgil. They still saw a lot of each other. Aunt Gabrielle was the only one who still called Xerxes Joxer and the only one Xerxes would let get away with it. Gabrielle had admitted during the last visit that Xena and Ares were doing a great job with the twins.

An even bigger surprise was that Ares and Hercules had called a truce, at least for the time being. It wasn't that they were bosom buddies, but Ares tolerated Hercules visiting his niece and nephew.

Aphrodite took all the credit for the change in Ares, saying it was the conquering power of love, just not in Ares' hearing.

It was late afternoon and Xena and Ares decided to spend the night in one of Ares' temples. They had just finished a meal provided by Ares.

"I totally put that Cyclops' eye out with my fireball," 8 year old Xerxes argued.

"But I'm the one that made him trip when I went invisible. We wouldn't have gotten him otherwise," Cyrene said.

"Big deal, whoopdee doo for you. What can invisibility really do in a fight?"

Rather than answer him, Cyrene went invisible and proceeded to fight with Xerxes, who had a difficult time getting shots in when he couldn't tell from which direction his sister was coming from.

"That's enough," Ares said. "If you destroy another temple, you're going to rebuild it with your bare hands."

It was enough to make them pause momentarily but not threatening enough to stop fighting in the middle of a good match.

"Xerxes, Cyrene," said Xena in her low warning voice.

That's all the twins needed to hear. They knew their mother meant business when she had that tone of voice. Although they weren't sure which parent was the better disciplinarian when angry, they both knew their mother was the bigger threat of the two parents. They knew how to play their father. They hadn't figured out how to play their mother.

"Why don't you two go take advantage of the great outdoors," Ares said.

"Dad," Xerxes mouthed back. "We're traveling heroes. We're almost always in the great outdoors."

The doors blew open with a gust caused by Ares.

"Okay, okay, you've made your point," Xerxes said, running out with Cyrene at his heels.

"I thought we could use some alone time," Ares said, invading Xena's space.

Her arms found resting places on his shoulders and she played with one of the curls. "Is that so?"

There was crashing and banging outside. Cyrene and Xerxes had taken their fight outside.

"Maybe we'd better hold off," Xena advised, "until they're asleep."

Ares blew a sigh of frustration, but he clearly agreed.

"They're a terror the both of them," Xena said, taking a seat on Ares' throne. "Twin terrors."

"Yeah," Ares agreed, "but they're our little terrors."

The End


End file.
